A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to insulation modules for roofs or doors of furnace housings, and more particularly to an insulation system for furnace roofs or doors of furnace housings having openings for fluses, in which the number of splits between the insulation modules are eliminated, and in which the heat leaks produced at open sections caused by temperature changes are eliminated.
B. Description of the Related Art
There are well known the insulation systems for using in doors or roofs of furnace housings having a frame and an structural base, wherein the insulation system is comprised by several insulation modules made from fiber mats attached to a structural base such as metal mesh means, plate channels etc.
Generally the known furnace housing structures comprises: a rectangular frame having a first and a second lateral side and a first and a second longitudinal side, including one quadrangular opening having a surrounding frame which constitute the flue of the furnace; a structural base such a as metal mesh means; a insulation system comprising a plurality of insulation modules attached to the structural base by anchoring means, divided in five sections: a first and a second section situated along the longitudinal sides, a third section surrounding the flue situated at a central portion of the frame, between the first and the second section, a fourth section extending from the first lateral side to the third section, between the first and the second sections, and a fifth section extending from the third section to the second lateral side, between the first and the second sections.
The main problem of the above referred insulation system is related to heat leaks at the section surrounding the flue. This section is formed by eight or more fiber insulation modules surrounding each external wall of the flue and each comer thereof.
This heat leaks are produced at the joints between the insulation modules surrounding the flue, due to the constant temperature changes at the hot portion of the insulation module which produces a continuous expansion-contraction cycle.
This constant expansion-contraction cycle produces open sections at the joints between the insulation modules surrounding the flue, causing heat leaks and damaging the structural base, and in order to seal the heat leaks produced at the open sections, it is necessary to repack the modules aside the open sections.
In order to solve the above referred problems, applicants developed a new insulation system in which the number of splits between the insulation modules are eliminated specially around the flue, and in which the heat leaks produced at open sections caused by temperature changes are eliminated.
The insulation system developed by the applicants comprises: a first and a second elongated insulation modules, each extending from the first lateral side of the frame to the second lateral side thereof, and each having one or more projections each including a gradually deepen blade cut housing, coinciding with a flue opening of the frame, in order to accommodate and isolate a longitudinal side of the rectangular frame that forms the flue of the furnace; a third and a fourth elongated insulation modules, each extending respectively from the first and second lateral sides of the frame to the first and second lateral sides of the surrounding frame of a flue, having one or two opposite vertical sections each located at an end of the elongated module, forming a vertical wall which isolates the lateral side of a surrounding frame of a first and/or a second flue located over the longitudinal axis, and having the same shape of the lateral side of the surrounding frame of the flue; and anchoring means, in order to fasten the first and second insulation modules to the internal side of the structural base, to fasten the projection which isolates the longitudinal side of the surrounding frame of the flue to said surrounding frame, to fasten the third and fourth elongated insulation modules to the structural base and to fasten the vertical section of the third and fourth insulation modules to the longitudinal side of the surrounding frame of the flue.
The third section of the insulation system of the prior art is eliminated, and substituted by the longitudinal elongated insulation modules; the number of splits between the insulation modules are reduced, thus eliminating the points where open sections may appear due to temperature changes, extending the lifetime of the insulation system.
It is therefore a main objective of the present invention to provide an insulation system having an improved durability.
It is also a main objective of the present invention to provide an insulation system in which the number of splits between the insulation modules are eliminated.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an insulation system in which the heat leaks produced at open sections caused by temperature changes are eliminated.
It is still another objective of the present invention, to provide an insulation system in which a periodical repack of the modules aside the open sections caused by heat changes is not needed.
These and other objects and advantages of the insulation system of the present invention will become apparent to those persons having an ordinary skill in the art, from the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention which will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings.